3 moves that prove Milwaukee Bucks GM Jon Horst is among NBA’s best
By Lucas Valind
Trading for P.J. Tucker proves that Milwaukee Bucks GM Jon Horst is among NBA’s best
P.J. Tucker was a fan favorite when he was in Milwaukee.
Tucker’s resiliency is something that will always be appreciated by fans of the Bucks. Tucker was given the assignment of Kevin Durant on most possessions during the team’s playoff series vs. the Brooklyn Nets in last season’s playoffs. Durant scored, and he scored a lot on Tucker during the series. That did not stop Tucker from coming back each and every time and keeping the same defensive energy every time he was matched up on Durant. Tucker never backed down from the challenge, somehow never becoming discouraged as Durant continued to fill the bucket.
Tucker’s relentless style of play, regardless of what was happening to him or his team, was exactly the kind of player that the team needed. He was a player that could energize the entire team with his effort leading to big plays. Without Tucker, the Bucks may not have won last season’s NBA championship. The leadership that he was able to display with his consistent ruthless mentality was a great addition to the team.
The trade that Horst made to acquire Tucker from Houston was a steal. Milwaukee was able to shed D.J. Augustin, D.J. Wilson, and a first round draft pick for Tucker and Rodions Kurucs.
Augustin was a player that Milwaukee signed last year to be one of their bench guard options and he flopped majorly in his short stint with the Bucks. He was not the same player that the Bucks had seen play against them in the playoffs in the previous season. Wilson was a player that was stuck in a crowded forward/center group and was never able to break through and receive consistent minutes. He was a first round pick by the team in 2017 and was never able to develop enough to become a key player for the Bucks.
Shedding of a bad contract in Augustin and ridding of Wilson, who was never able to achieve his potential in Milwaukee is a perfect example of even when Horst misses, he can still turn it into something.